Canopy letter grapple



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BY f 7 fnf-Mgg Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CANOPY LETTER GRAPPLE Theodore C. Lotz, Minneapolis, Minn. Application January 27, 1949, Serial No. '73,205

Yletter or the like so that it may be removed or mounted in a canopy marquee at a theatre or the like.

2 Claims.. (Cl. 294-19) especially Figure 1, the grapple is designated by the numeral I0. The grapple comprises a fixed jaw I2 and a pivoted jaw I4. The fixed jaw is provided with an end I6 slightly bent upwardly from the horizontal portion I8, see Figure l. A depending support arm 2U is detachably secured by screws to the inside face of the fixed jaw I2 adjacent the inner end of the upstanding portion IS for a purpose to be set forth hereinafter. The

it is a further object of this invention to pro- 10 ends of the arm 20 extend beyond the sides of vide a canopy letter grapple with a handle means the stationary and xed jaws i2 and i4 respecwhereby plates in the forms oi letters, etc. may tively. The inner end of the fixed jaw i8 is probe mounted in and removed from a display sign vided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 22 mounted ten or more feet above the street level having a passage 24 therethrough. The lower Vby a person from the street level. i5 or pivoted jaw I4 is provided with a hinge 2t It is a' further object of this invention to prowhich is fastened at 26 to the i'lXed jaw I2. A videa letter grapple having means for securely substantially V-shaped notch 28 extending comrholding relatively large plates or the like when pletely across the pivoted jaw I4 adjacent its mounting or removing them. from marquees, outer end and substantially opposite the supsigns or the like. 20 port arm 2E! on the fixed jaw I2 so thatthe arm It is aV still further object of this invention to COOperateS With the V-Shaped ROteh 23 fOr 2 provide a grapple having means for easily ac-n purpose to be set forth hereinafter. The outer tuating jaws of the grapple. .Y end of the pivoted jaw I4 is bifurcated as at 3B. Other and further 'objects will appear from A trigger 32 iS DVOtally Secured by bOt and the detailed description of f the grapple and the nut means 34 to a lug 3 6 fOrmed integrally With appended claims. the fixed jaw I2. A demountable pin 38 is The invention will be more fully explained mounted in appreprete apertures in the rOnt hereinafter with reference to the accompanying Dertien 0f the trigger 32. A11 arm 4U iS freely drawing in which it is illustrated, and in which: Ir-Ourlted Orl the D111 33 and S prOVded With an Figure l is a side view of the improved grapple, v aperture adjacent itS rear end fOr a DurDOSe t0 parts in section. Ybe set forth hereinafter. An internally threaded Figure 2 is a sectional view of the connection connection 42 is provided with a bifurcated pormeans between the trigger on the grapple and tion at its rear end for freely mounting the conthe actuating means for the jaws taken on line ueCtOIl 42 011 the piu 33 eSSOeeted With the 2-2 of Figure l. Y 35 trigger 32. A bolt 44 having a threaded shank Figure 3 is a sectionalview taken on line 3-3 carries a nut 46 thereon. The threaded end of of Figure 1 disclosing the lower` bifurcated jaw. the bolt 44 is adjustably associated with the screw Figure 4 is a detailed View, partly in elevation threaded aperture in the COrlIleCtOIl @2- A genand partly in section of the actuating means erelly U-Sheleed element 48 has its legs 5B in depressed position with the lower movable mounted respectively on the opposite ends of a jaw shown in open position with respect to the pin 52 carried in an aperture in the top portion xed. jaw. of a plunger 56 with the legs 5D abutting the op- Figure 5 is an elevational view of a portion of posite sides of the plunger 54. The legs 5E of a theatre marquee. the element 48 are held on the pin 5] by Cotter Figure 6 is a side view of the improved grapple 45 pins against the opposite sides of the plunger 54. part in section, holding a plate or metal letter. The fixed jaw I2 is provided with a slot 5E Figure '7 is a sectional view of Vrnodiiied means through which the plunger 54 extends. There is of connecting a handle to the grapple. a small plate 58 secured to the lower end of the Figure 8 is a front view of a portion of a letter plunger 54 adjacent its front edge which is carshowing the outer end of the jaws of the grapple ried between the xed jaw I2 and movable jaw holding the letter. I4. The plate 58 is rounded across its rear edge Figure 9 is a rear view of a portion of a letter 6i). The rounded edge 60 fits into abutting redisclosing the outer ends of the jaws of the grapcesses in front plate of hinge 24 and in the front ple holding the letter. edge of a plate B2 secured between hinge 24 and The drawingsare now referred to in detail, movable jaw I4. The plate 58 is adapted to pivot on its rounded edge 68 in the recesses in the edge of hinge 24 and plate 62 when plunger 54 is depressed by means oi trigger 32.

A plurality of leaf springs 64 are held in operable relationship with the movable jaw I4 by a bolt 66 which extends through a hole in the movable jaw I4 and is secured to the xed jaw I2.

The end of a handle not shown is insertable in the passage 24 in the enlarged portion 22. The handle is preferably hollow with a wire or the like carried therein. The end of the wire is adapted to be secured to the arm 48. A trigger similar to trigger 32 is pivoted adjacent the outer end of the handle with the outer end of the wire attached to a portion of the trigger. When such a handle is associated with the grapple i8, a person can actuate the grapple from the outer end of the handle.

Figure 6 discloses a canopy letter grapple similar to the grapple I8 of Figure l except that it is provided with an enlarged portion 'E8 'associated with the iixed jaw I2. The enlarged portion TD is provided with a passageway 'I2 for the passage of a wire 16, and the rear end of the enlarged portion is reduced and screw threaded at T3. A hollow handle I4 has a screw threaded portion so that the handle 'i4y can be fastened to the reduced portion 'I3 of the xed handle I2. A trigger 88 is pivoted adjacent the rear of the handle i4 and the outer end of the wire '56 is secured to the trigger 80.

A portion of a marquee 98 is shown in Figure 5 with a letter 84 'representing the letter W mounted on spaced wires 92 and S4 of the marquee 9U. The letter 84 is provided with hooks 85 by which the letter is mounted on the wires 92 and 94. The grapple of Figure 6 is shown holding the letter 84 between its jaws.

The grapple I8 is used to mount letters and numbers, such as a letter 84 on a marquee or canopy of a theatre and to remove such letters so that the display of the marquee will always indicatel what motion picture and the like is being shown in the theatre.

The depressing of trigger 88 actuates wire i6 which pulls back plunger 54 through means of arm 46, connection 42, ybolt 44 and U-shaped element 48, see Figures l, 4 and 6. The plunger 54 pivots plate 58 at its edge ii-which pivots jaw I4 downwardly away from the fixed jaw i2, thus separating the movable jaw I4 from the fixed or stationary jaw I2. When the jaws of the grapple i8 are thus separated, the jaws can grasp a letter 84. The angular portion i of the iixed jaw engages the front portion of the letter 84, and the biiurcated portion 38 engages the rear side of the plate with the notched portion 28 in the pivotal jaw I4 receiving the rearwardly extending flange portion Bti at the lower edge of the letter 84. The outer face of the support element 28 abuts the lower edge of the flange 86. The support 26 extends beyond the sides oi vthe stationary jaw I2 and pivotal jaw I4 to provide a support for the lower edge of extra large letters such as an M. The bifurcated portion 38 on the pivotal jaw I2 permits the outer end of the pivotal jaw I4 to straddle a hook such as 85 which is secured to the rear side of a letter at its lower end. Where there is no hook in the rear side of a letter at its lower end, then the outer end oi the pivoted jaw I4 may be solid similar to the outer end of the stationary jaw.

When pressure is released from the trigger 88 or 32, then the leaf springs 64 will move the pivotal jaw I4 toward the stationary jaw I2 and a plate will be rmly held between the two jaws, until the trigger or 32 releases the jaws so that the plate 84 or the like can be removed from the j ws of the grapple I0.

If it becomes necessary to vary the distance the pivotal jaw I4 moves or pivots away from the stationary jaw I2, then the distance between theI U-shaped element 48 and the connector 42 is varied by adjusting the nut 4S and bolt 44 with respect to the connector 42. When it is desirable to permit the pivotal jaw I4 to move farther away from the stationary jaw I2, nut 46 is loosened or Vscrewed away from the end of connector 42 and bolt 44 turned or partially screwed out of the connector 42 thus increasing the distance between the arm 48 and connector 42 and raising trigger 32 farther away from jaw I2. After the bolt 44 has been partially screwed out of the connector 42, the 'nut 46 is again screwed tightly against the end of the connector 42 to securely hold the bolt 44 in its adjusted position in the connector 42. Thus when the trigger 32 has a greater pivotal movement, the jaw I4 pivots farther from the stationary jaw I2. Ii it is desirable to decrease the distance, the pivotal jaw if; moves away from the stationary jaw l2, then 'the distance between the U-element 48 and the internally threaded connector 42 is decreased by screwing the bolt 44 farther into the connector 42 than the adjustment shown in Figure l thus moving trigger 32 closer to the jaw I2 so that trigger 32 will have a smaller pivotal movement. l It is possible to utilize handles of different lengths with the grapple I8 so as to be able to easily remove letters from marquees at motion picture houses which maybe at different elevations from the sidewalk.

The present grapple easily and quickly aids in mounting and removing letters from advertising display mounted on elevated boards, marquees, canopies or the like. Y

Having described my invention and illustrated an embodiment by which the same may be practiced, what I claim is:

l. In a grapple of the class described, a stationary jaw, a support element secured adjacent the outer end of the stationary jaw, a second jaw pivotally mounted on the stationary jaw, a notch extending completely transversely of the pivotal jaw adjacent its outer end, the support element mounted on the stationary jaw opposite the notch in the pivotal jaw, actuating means associated with the pivotal jaw comprising a plunger, a pivotal plate mounted between the stationary and pivotal jaw, the plunger engaging the pivotal plate, a trigger means connected to the plunger operating the pivotal plate for moving the pivotal jaw.

2. In a grapple of the class described, a stationary jaw, a support element secured transversely or the stationary jaw adjacent its outer end with the ends of the support element extending beyond the sides of the stationary jaw, a pivotal jaw associated with the stationary jaw,

a notch extending completely across the pivotal jaw adjacent its outer end, the support element mounted on the stationary jaw opposite the notch in the pivotal jaw, actuating means associated with the pivotal jaw comprising a plunger, a pivotal plate mounted between the stationary and pivotal jaws, the plunger engaging the pivotal plate, a trigger, means connecting the trigger with the plunger for actuating the pivotal plate operating the pivotal jaw, and adjustable means 5 associated with the connecting means for varying the length of the connecting means so that the distance the pivotal jaw moves from the statonary jaw may be varied.

THEODO-RE C. LOTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Ulbricht Dec. 15, 1891 Funk Oct. 25, 1910 Siegel et a1 Mar. 14, 1911 Pedersen Nov. 28, 1939 

